Stuff
Stuff about anything! Hello! This is where you can write about, STUFF!!!!!! The Art of The Booger The booger is a germ building up in your nose. It has dustmites in it which will make you sneeze. Boogers also can build up strongly in your nose to make a clog in your nose AKA a stuffy nose. More On Boogers To understand what boogers are, you need to know about mucus (say: myoo-kus). Mucus is the sticky, slimy stuff that's made inside your nose. If you're like lot of kids, you have another name for nose mucus: snot. Your nose and sinuses make about a quart (about 1 liter) of snot every day. Mucus has a pretty important job — it protects the lungs. When you breathe in air through your nose, it contains lots of tiny things, like dust, dirt, germs, and pollen. If these made it all the way to the lungs, the lungs could get irritated or infected, making it be tough to breathe. Luckily, snot helps trap this stuff, keeping it in the nose and out of the lungs. After this stuff gets stuck inside the nose, the mucus surrounds it and some of the tiny hairs inside the nose called cilia (say: sih-lee-uh). These hairs help move the mucus and the trapped stuff toward the front of the nose or the back of the throat. When the mucus, dirt and other debris dry and clump together, you're left with a booger. Boogers can be squishy and slimy or tough and crumbly. Everybody gets them, so they're not a big deal. In fact, boogers are a sign that your nose is working the way it should! If you have to get rid of boogers, your best bet is to blow 'em out of your nose and into a tissue. Picking your nose isn't a great idea because boogers contain lots of germs and because poking around in your nose can make it bleed Bananas Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. They are native to the tropical region of Southeast Asia, and are likely to have been first domesticated in Papua New Guinea.1 Today, they are cultivated throughout the tropics.2 Banana plants are of the family Musaceae. They are cultivated primarily for their fruit, and to a lesser extent for the production of fibre and as ornamental plants. As the banana plants are normally tall and fairly sturdy, they are often mistaken for trees, but their main or upright stem is actually a pseudostem. For some species, this pseudostem can reach a height of 2–8 m, with leaves of up to 3.5 m in length. Each pseudostem can produce a bunch of green bananas, which when ripened often turn yellow or sometimes red. After bearing fruit, the pseudostem dies and is replaced by another. The banana fruit grow in hanging clusters, with up to 20 fruit to a tier (called a hand), and 3–20 tiers to a bunch. The total of the hanging clusters is known as a bunch, or commercially as a "banana stem", and can weigh from 30–50 kg. The fruit averages 125 g, of which approximately 75% is water and 25% dry matter content. Each individual fruit (known as a banana or 'finger') has a protective outer layer (a peel or skin) with a fleshy edible inner portion. Both skin and inner part can be eaten raw or cooked. Western cultures generally eat the inside raw and throw away the skin, while some Asian cultures[which?] generally eat both the skin and inside cooked[citation needed]. The fruit typically has numerous strings (called phloem bundles), which run between the skin and inner part. The inner part of the common yellow dessert variety splits easily lengthwise into three strips. Bananas are a valuable source of vitamin B6, vitamin C, and potassium. 'Cavendish' bananas are the main commercial cultivarBananas are grown in at least 107 countries.3 In popular culture and commerce, "banana" usually refers to soft, sweet "dessert" bananas. The bananas from a group of cultivars with firmer, starchier fruit are called plantains. Bananas may also be cut and dried and eaten as a type of chip. Dried bananas are also ground into banana flour. Although the wild species have fruits with numerous large, hard seeds, virtually all culinary bananas have seedless fruits. Bananas are classified either as dessert bananas (meaning they are yellow and fully ripe when eaten) or as green cooking bananas. Almost all export bananas are of the dessert types; however, only about 10–15% of all production is for export, with the United States and European Union being the dominant buyers. The Wonderous Apple The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family Rosaceae. It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits. The tree is small and deciduous, reaching 3 to 12 metres (9.8 to 39 ft) tall, with a broad, often densely twiggy crown.2 The leaves are alternately arranged simple ovals 5 to 12 cm long and 3–6 centimetres (1.2–2.4 in) broad on a 2 to 5 centimetres (0.79 to 2.0 in) petiole with an acute tip, serrated margin and a slightly downy underside. Blossoms are produced in spring simultaneously with the budding of the leaves. The flowers are white with a pink tinge that gradually fades, five petaled, and 2.5 to 3.5 centimetres (0.98 to 1.4 in) in diameter. The fruit matures in autumn, and is typically 5 to 9 centimetres (2.0 to 3.5 in) diameter. The center of the fruit contains five carpels arranged in a five-point star, each carpel containing one to three seeds.2 The tree originated from Central Asia, where its wild ancestor is still found today. There are more than 7,500 known cultivars of apples resulting in a range of desired characteristics. Cultivars vary in their yield and the ultimate size of the tree, even when grown on the same rootstock.3 At least 55 million tons of apples were grown worldwide in 2005, with a value of about $10 billion. China produced about 35% of this total.4 The United States is the second leading producer, with more than 7.5% of the world production. Turkey, France, Italy, and Iran are also among the leading apple exporters. The Beautiful Toilet A toilet is a plumbing fixture and disposal system primarily intended for the disposal of the bodily wastes: urine and fecal matter. Additionally, vomit and menstrual waste are sometimes disposed of in toilets in Western societies. The word toilet describes the fixture and, especially in British English, the room containing the fixture. In Canadian English, the latter is euphemistically called a washroom; in American English, a restroom or bathroom. The latter term often describes a room that also contains a bath tub. A room with only a toilet and a sink is sometimes called a half-bathroom, a half bath, and a powder room. There are two basic types of modern toilets: the dry toilet and the wet toilet, the latter being the most commonly known and producer of blackwater. The dry toilet needs no plumbing for water input or evacuation, but is often coupled with some ventilation system. Prior to the introduction of modern flush toilets, most human waste disposal took place outdoors in outhouses and latrines. However, the ancient cities of the Indus Valley Civilization, e.g., Harappa1 and Mohenjo-daro2 which are located in present day India and Pakistan had flush toilets attached to a sophisticated sewage system3—and other forms of toilets were used both in the time of the Romans and Egyptians as well.4 Although a precursor to the modern flush toilet system was designed in 1596 by John Harington,5 the toilet did not enter into widespread use until the late nineteenth century, when it was adopted in English upper class residences.6 The Wonders of Austraila Australia (pronounced /əˈstreɪljə/ ə-STRAYL-yə or /ɒˈstreɪljə/ o-STRAYL-yə,7 or more formally as /ɔːˈstreɪliə/ aw-STRAY-lee-ə), officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent (the world's smallest),89 the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.N4 Neighbouring countries include Indonesia, East Timor, and Papua New Guinea to the north, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia to the north-east, and New Zealand to the southeast. For some 40,000 years before European settlement commenced in the late 18th century, the Australian mainland and Tasmania were inhabited by around 250 individual nations10 of indigenous Australians.11 After sporadic visits by fishermen from the immediate north, and European discovery by Dutch explorers in 1606,12 the eastern half of Australia was claimed by the British in 1770 and initially settled through penal transportation to the colony of New South Wales, founded on 26 January 1788. The population grew steadily in the following years; the continent was explored, and during the 19th century another five largely self-governing Crown Colonies were established. On 1 January 1901, the six colonies became a federation, and the Commonwealth of Australia was formed. Since Federation, Australia has maintained a stable liberal democratic political system and remains a Commonwealth realm. The population is 22 million, with approximately 60% concentrated in and around the mainland state capitals of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide. The nation's capital city is Canberra, located in the Australian Capital Territory. Australia is a developed country, with a prosperous multicultural society and excellent results in many international comparisons of national performance such as human development, quality of life, health care, life expectancy, public education, economic freedom, and the protection of civil liberties and political rights.13 Australian cities routinely rank among the world's highest in terms of cultural offerings and quality of life. It is a member of the United Nations, G20, Commonwealth of Nations, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, ANZUS, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, South Pacific Forum, and the World Trade Organization. The Classical Teddy Bear For other uses, see Teddy bear (disambiguation).A German teddy bear from around 1954The teddy bear is a stuffed toy bear. They are usually stuffed with soft cotton and have smooth and soft fur. It is an enduring form of a stuffed animal across the United States, often serving the purpose of entertaining children. It is quite common for American children to have one among their possessions. In recent times, some teddy bears have become collector's items. Now, teddy bears come in various styles and people can dress them up in many different styles and articles of clothing. Teddy bears are also among the most popular gifts for children and significant others on Valentines' day and other holidays. The name Teddy Bear comes from former United States President Theodore Roosevelt, whose nickname was "Teddy". The name originated from an incident on a bear-hunting trip in Mississippi in November 1902, to which Roosevelt was invited by Mississippi Governor Andrew H. Longino. There were several other hunters competing, and most of them had already killed an animal. A suite of Roosevelt's attendants, led by Holt Collier,1 cornered, clubbed, and tied an American Black Bear to a willow tree after a long exhausting chase with hounds. They called Roosevelt to the site and suggested that he should shoot it. He refused to shoot the bear himself, deeming this unsportsmanlike,2 but instructed that the bear be killed to put it out of its misery, and it became the topic of a political cartoon by Clifford Berryman in The Washington Post on November 16, 1902.3 While the initial cartoon of an adult black bear lassoed by a white handler and a disgusted Roosevelt had symbolic overtones, later issues of that and other Berryman cartoons made the bear smaller and cuter.4 Morris Michtom saw the drawing of Roosevelt and the bear cub and was inspired to create a new toy. He created a little stuffed bear cub and put it in his shop window with a sign that read "Teddy's bear," after sending the bear to Roosevelt and receiving permission to sell the bears. The toys were an immediate success and Michtom founded the Ideal Novelty and Toy Co., which still exists today.2 At the same time, in Germany the Steiff firm, unaware of Michtom's bear, produced a stuffed bear from Richard Steiff's designs. They exhibited the toy at the Leipzig Toy Fair in March 1903 and exported 3000 to the United States.256 By 1906 manufacturers other than Michtom and Steiff had joined in and the craze for Teddy Bears was such that ladies carried them everywhere, children were photographed with them, and Roosevelt used one as a mascot in his bid for re-election.5 American educator Seymour Eaton wrote the children's book series The Roosevelt Bears,7 while composer John Bratton wrote "The Teddy Bear Two Step" which, with the addition of Jimmy Kennedy's lyrics, became the song "The Teddy Bears' Picnic".8 Early teddy bears were made to look like real bears, with extended snouts and beady eyes. Today's teddy bears tend to have larger eyes and foreheads and smaller noses, babylike features that make them more attractive to buyers because they enhance the toy's cuteness. Also, now some bears come pre-dressed, somtimes for winter, spring, summer, or fall. Warrior Cats Warriors is a series of children's novels published by HarperCollins.1 Though the books are published under the pseudonym of Erin Hunter, writing alternates between authors Kate Cary, Cherith Baldry, and Tui Sutherland, with plot ideas by storyline editor Victoria Holmes.2 The series follows the adventures of four Clans (ThunderClan, ShadowClan, WindClan and RiverClan), or large groups, of wild cats trying to survive in their forest homes. It currently consists of four sagas, each containing six books. The first, Warriors (often called "original series" to differentiate it from the later series), was published from 2003 to 2004, beginning with Into the Wild, and ending with The Darkest Hour. This was followed by Warriors: The New Prophecy, beginning with Midnight, and ending with Sunset, published from 2005 to 2006. The third saga, Warriors: Power of Three, began with The Sight, and ended with Sunrise; it was published from 2007 to 2009. The Fourth Apprentice, the first book in Warriors: Omen of the Stars was released on November 24, 2009. The series has been on the New York Times Bestseller List for children's books for 71 weeks as of May 19, 2008. Other books have been released to supplement the main series, including two lengthier, individual books entitled Firestar's Quest and Bluestar's Prophecy. Three field guides and several volumes of original English-language manga, produced as a collaboration between HarperCollins and TOKYOPOP, have been published as well. The series has also been released for Amazon's Kindle and translated into several other languages. The Pie A slice cut from an apple pieA pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough shell that covers or completely contains a filling of various sweet or savoury ingredients. Pies can be either "filled", where a dish is covered by pastry and the filling is placed on top of that, "top-crust," where the filling is placed in a dish and covered with a pastry/potato mash top before baking, or "two-crust," with the filling completely enclosed in the pastry shell. Pies can be a variety of sizes, ranging from bite-size to ones designed for multiple servings. Reference to “pyes” as food items appeared in England (in a Latin context) as early as the 12th Century, but no unequivocal reference to the item with which the article is concerned is attested in the Oxford English Dictionary until the 14th century (Oxford English Dictionary sb pie). Monkeys A monkey is any cercopithecoid (Old World monkey) or platyrrhine (New World monkey) primate. All primates that are not prosimians (lemurs and tarsiers) or apes are monkeys. The 264 known extant monkey species represent two of the three groupings of simian primates (the third group being the 21 species of apes). Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent and, unlike apes, monkeys usually have tails. The New World monkeys are classified within the parvorder Platyrrhini, whereas the Old World monkeys (superfamily Cercopithecoidea) form part of the parvorder Catarrhini, which also includes the apes. Thus, scientifically speaking, monkeys are paraphyletic (not a single coherent group) and Old World monkeys are actually more closely related to the apes than they are to the New World monkeys. Sonic The Hedgehog Sonic the Hedgehog (ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ?), trademarked Sonic The Hedgehog", but mostly referred to as just "Sonic",2 is a video game character and the protagonist of the eponymous video game series released by Sega, as well as in numerous spin-off comics, cartoons and books. The first game in the franchise was released on June 23, 1991, in order to provide Sega with a mascot to rival Nintendo's flagship character Mario (see 1991 in video gaming).34 Since then, Sonic has become one of the world's best-known video game characters, with his series having sold 50 million copies.5 In 2005, Sonic was one of the first game character inductees into the Walk of Game, alongside Mario and Link.6 Artist Naoto Ōshima, designer Hirokazu Yasuhara and programmer Yuji Naka are generally credited with the creation of the character,7 a blue 15-year-old anthropomorphic hedgehog, who has the ability to run faster than the speed of sound and the ability to curl into a ball, primarily to attack enemies. This is a major part of the gameplay of the series. Sonic the Hedgehog is widely known as one of the most successful game characters, having won a Golden Joystick Award and a Golden Game Award.The first game in the franchise was released on June 23, 1991, in order to provide Sega with a mascot to rival Nintendo's flagship character Mario (see 1991 in video gaming).34 Since then, Sonic has become one of the world's best-known video game characters, with his series having Shadow The Hedgehog Shadow the Hedgehog (シャドウ・ザ・ヘッジホッグ, Shadou za Hejjihoggu?) is a fictional character from the Sonic the Hedgehog series. He is an artificial life form4 in the design of a male, black anthropomorphic hedgehog. He resembles Sonic in many ways, such as how his hover skates propel him at extreme speeds to rival those of Sonic;4 but he distinguishes himself with greater use of his signature ability to use Chaos Control with Chaos Emeralds. He is Sonic's rival and is the antithesis of Sonic himself in all aspects of his life.5 He is currently considered the second most popular character in the series.6 He has been featured in a variety of media, including his own self-titled game. Shadow is an anti-hero, and easily works together with either Sonic's group or Dr. Eggman, depending on what suits his own needs.